Portable posthole digger



Aug. 2l, 1951 v. o, GIBBENS 2,565,224

PORTABLE POST HOLE BIGGER Filed July 21, v1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTD RN EYS Aug. 21, 1951 V. O. GIBBENS PORTABLE POST HOLE DIGGER Filed July 21, 1948 Aug. 21, 1951 v. o. GIBBl-:Ns 2,565,224

PORTABLE PosT HOLE BIGGER Filed July 21, 1948 4 sheets-sheet 4 mwilvcrok.v mfg@ awew,

ATI'CI RN EYS jatented Aug. l21.1951

UNITED STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE 565,224 f-PoRTABLEiPosTHoLE: BIGGER "Vaughn o. -orbbena santa Calif. Application Jiyfzli, 194s,-seria1N0. 39,865 i'laim. (01.25'5-19) rvThis invention relates vto a-.portableposthole digger.

It is an object of the` present invention'to'fpro'- vide a portable post hole diggerhaving-its own power plant land which will drill Yvertical holes regardless of the angle or slope on `which -the supporting lwheels may 'irest and wherein it vbecomes unnecessary to level the supporting fram'e each time a hole is to be drilled and wherein the auger or dri-ll can be adjusted to the right r left of the vframe atlany-de'sire'd angle and wherein the "digger is carried Ion a -sli'de whichis vertically adjustable `on a frame which ymay vpivot relative to the main supporting frame.

Other objects .of the present inventionL are -to provide a 4portable post hole `digger Whichis 0i? simple construction, easy to 'set up for-a drilling operation, self-propelled, :durable and rugged, yand eicient in operation.

For other objects and for abettei' v`u'nderstanding of the invention, reference V)may lbe ghad to the following detailed description taken in con-- nectio'n with the Iacccir'npanyfing drawing,v which I Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of thefpost hole digger embodying the features-of the present-in'- vention and illustrating the manner in which the auger is adjusted longitudinal-ly of the main supporting frame.

Fig. `2 is a top plan View of they post VholeV 'digger as viewed on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the digger illustrating the manner in whichfthe auger may be angularly adjusted relative to the lifting frame and to the main supporting frame on which the lifting frame is pivoted.

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of 'the post 'hole digger with the auger extendedinto the ground.

Fig. 5 is Aa fragmentary detail and elevational view of the winch for retaining the auger `in its elevated position and for eecting the vaclii`1`s't`- ment of the auger. y

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of the gear housing to which the 'auger bit is connected.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken through the pivot plate connection of the slide sleeves` with the upper end of the vertically adjustableb'om or frame.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the auger and of an extension thereonlor the purpose of digging deeper holes.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the telescoping driving rod extending from the transmission to the auger gear box.

.laterally extending sleeve A45.

Fig. lOzis a transverse sectional view taken on line Vlll---Ill 'of-Fig. `9.

Fig. 11-is a fragmentary sectional View of the connection of the pivot parts with the upper end of the boomV and showing a retaining detent engageable with grooves on thevupper end of the boom to retain the auger assembly in its laterally adjusted position. A

Referring now to the lgures, 2| representsa main frame having depending wheel axle 22 with rubber tired supporting wheels 23.l On the forward end of the frame is a third Wheel 24 which casters. This wheel is removable from the frame in order to permit the digger to be attached directly to a vehicle for the purposepof transport. The wheel 24 is placed Von the frame when the digger is put in use. Pull straps 25 serve to conneet the digger to a vehicle or tractor draw bar.

On the forwardpart of the frame, there is mounted a gas engine Y2li having a drive sprocket 21 which is connected toga sprocket 28 by a driving chain 29. The sprocket 28 is on a transmission 3l having an output shaft 32 with a universal connection 33 thereon. To this universal connection 33 there is connected a telescopic driveV shaft 34 which is connected through a yuniversal joint 35 with a driving gear box 36 which supports an auger bit 31.

The gear box 36 is connected to a transversely extending plate 38 which is connected between upwardly extending pipes 39 which are slidable in sleeves 4I respectively which are connected together by a vertically extending plate 42 having-a circular wear plate 43, Fig. '1, engaging with a circular Wear plate 44 weldingly secured to a From the plate 44 there extends a pivot pin 4'6 through wear plate 43 'andtransverse member 42 and which has a Ahea-d 41 and a collar 41a for retaining the parts in assembled relation. The pin 4S is first inserted through the plate 43 and transverse memberr42, and then through the collar 41a, after which the portion 45a is bent transversely to hold the parts together.

The pivot connection shown in Fig. 7 is slidably connected through sleeve 45 with Va top frame bar 48fof an auger supporting frame 49 pivotally connected to the main frame 2l at 5| and adjustable as shown in Fig. 1 in la boom-like manner to raise and lower the auger bit.

The frame 49 is swung on its pivot by 'an adjusting lever 53 having a detent device 54 cooperating with quadrant 55. The lever is pivoted to the frame 2| at 56 and is connected by link 51 with the frame 49. Stop member 99 is secured to frame 49 for abutting the rods 39 to limit the forward movement of the slide when the auger is removed from engagement with the ground.

Connected to the member 42 at 58, Fig. 4, is a cable 59 which extends through a pulley block 6l secured to the gear casing 36. The cable extends upwardly over a pulley block 62 on the slide bar 45 on the rod 48 at the upper end of the frame 49. A bracket 64 with hook formations thereon for the purpose of supporting the block G2 extends upwardly and outwardly over the gear casing 38. This cable 59 further extends forwardly to a block G5 on transmission mount 36 and from there to a winch device 61, Figs. 1 and 5. The winch device is carried on an upwardly extending bracket 68 and has a hand crank 38 and a locking lever 10 adapted to engage with either of two diametrically disposed notches 1l.

A brake lever 13 can serve to operate brakes 14 pivoted on the frame 2l and engageable with the wheels 23 whereby to retain the frame against movement while the drilling operation is being effected.

The transverse member 48, Figure 7, of the frame 49 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced grooves 15 into which may extend a pin 16, see Figure ll, pressed by a spring 11 and enclosed in a sleeve projection 18 for the purpose o retaining the slide in a laterally adjusted position relative to the frame 49. When it is desired to adjust the slide on the grooved rod 48, the pin 16 is grasped by its handle 19 and pulled outwardly. Thereafter, the slide can be adjusted laterally to position the auger without having to reposition the wheeled frame.

The slide includes transverse member 39, ver tically extending rods 39 and a transverse member 8l joining the rods 39 together at their upper ends. This slide with the gear box 3B is adjustable up and down through sleeves 4I as the cable 59 is worked.

The slide, however, can be angularly adjusted in order to locate the auger in a vertical position as when the frame is not on level ground by pivoting the sleeves 4l and their supporting member 42 on pin 46 which is carried by sleeve 45 on the upper end of the frame 49, Fig. 7. This angular adjustment can be effected in the manner shown in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 8, there is shown an auger extension 83 adapted to be connected to the gear box 36 and especially formed on its lower end to receive the main auger bit 31. The extension 83 will be held by the set screw 84 and the auger bit 31 will be held upon the extension by the set screw 8", Fig. 8.

The telescopic drive shaft 34 is adjustable and through the universal joints 33 and 35 will drive in any position to which the parts thereof have been adjusted. The gear box has an input shaft 81 journalled in a sleeve 88, Fig. 6, and with a bevel pinion 89. This pinion 89 meshes with a bevel plate gear 9i fixed by set screw 92 to an output shaft 93 to which the auger is connected and secured by the set screw 84. The gear box 36 has an upwardly extending hook 94 to which pulley block 9i may be attached. This hook 94 is preferably connected to the transverse plate 38 of the slide.

In operation, it will be apparent that the frame 2l can be transported to any ocation and that with the engine in operation, the auger 31 will be set in motion to elect the drilling of a post hole. The engine drives a transmission which has a gear shift lever 91 whereby the speed of rotation of the auger can be controlled. The auger can thus be operated at several different speeds and as well its rotation may be reversed if necessary to eiect the withdrawal of the auger from the hole. The auger is connected to the gear box 36 which is carried on a slide which is adjustable vertically through a connection on a boom 49. This connection can itself be angularly adjusted relative to the boom 48 so that the auger can be extended at an angle. Likewise. this connection can be adjusted along the top of the frame 49 to different lateral positions thereby eliminating the necessity of changing the supporting frame or shifting it from the position to which it has been placed. The auger will be released when the drilling operation starts so that it will feed by gravity. This is done by releasing the locking lever and holding the same out of engagement.

While various changes majr be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

A portable post hole digger comprising a frame having supporting wheels, a boom pivotally connected to the frame, an adjusting mechanism for adjusting the boom and for retaining the same in its adjusted position, pivot connection means on the upper end of the boom including members angularly adjustable relative to one another, a gear box slidably connected to the pivot connection means and having an output shaft, an auger connected to the output shaft, a power mechanism connected to the gear box of the auger to operate the same, an elevating mechanism for adjusting the gear box and auger on the pivot connection means, said elevating mechanism comprising a cable, said cable being xed to the pivot connection means, and a hand Winch for receiving and adjusting the cable, said pivot connection means including vertically extending sleeves, and a slide provided with laterally spaced rods adjustable in and guided by the sleeves, said boom having a transverse member adjustably connected to said sleeves whereby the pivot connection means and the auger can be laterally adjusted across the top of the boom.

VAUGHN O. GIBBENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,542,720 Phillips June 16, 1925 1,754,348 Browne Apr. 15, 1930 2,318,595 Curtis May l1, 1943 2,321,680 Houston June 15, 1943 2,410,508 Lamme Nov. 5, 1946 2,461,373 Cox Feb. 8, 1949 2,468,319 Adams Apr. 26, 1949 2,480,537 Arps et al Aug. 30, 1949 2,514,832 Benson July ll, 1950 2,521,895 Bunting Sept. 12, 1950 

